The Ballston Spa Middle School’s 6th-grade art classes created “No Place for Hate” posters and bulletin board displays.

SARATOGA SPRINGS —The Saratoga Springs Public Library childrens’ librarian will lead a group of kids ages 2-5 on a story time trip to the Saratoga Automobile Museum on Friday, January 12. Participants can explore the exhibit “Bond in Motion: Official Collection of James Bond Vehicles.” The program is free, but registration is required via the event website (sspl.libcal.com/event/11675101) or by calling 518-584-7860.

SARATOGA SPRINGS —The Saratoga Springs City School District’s Transportation Department has until 2035 to convert its entire fleet to zero-emission vehicles. This electric bus requirement established by Gov. Kathy Hochul will require significant funds and may involve some logistical hurdles.

“It’s not just buying an electric vehicle, as you know, it’s the infrastructure and everything else that goes with it,” said Jerry Keenan, the district’s director of transportation, at a Board of Education meeting last month. “We have a lot of work to do in a very short period of time.”

According to an annual report delivered by Keenan, Saratoga’s 116-vehicle fleet includes 88 large buses, 21 small buses, 5 Chevrolet Suburbans, and 2 attendance officer vehicles. 

Electric buses can cost as much as $400,000, nearly three-times the cost of a diesel or gasoline bus. But according to New York State’s Electric School Bus Roadmap report, “the total cost of ownership is expected to reach parity by 2027 due to advances in battery technology, increased supply chain outputs, as well as lower fuel and maintenance expenses.”

“Providing the tools for school districts to swap out diesel and gas school buses with zero-emission bus fleets will help students and their communities across the state breathe cleaner air and enjoy a healthier way of life,” Governor Kathy Hochul said when the Roadmap report was released in September.

Some state lawmakers have pushed back against the governor’s requirements. State Senator James Tedisco, who represents Saratoga County, co-signed a letter to Hochul written by State Senator Dan Stec, who represents part of the Capital District. In the letter published last month, Stec wrote that the “governor should either lift this mandate or allocate enough funding in next year’s budget to cover the $20 billion it’s expected to cost to convert the 45,000 school buses in operation statewide.”

BALLSTON SPA — A Broadway veteran who has appeared in productions of “Wicked” and “Newsies” visited Ballston Spa last month to offer students some pointers on nailing their auditions.

The Ballston Spa High School’s Troupe Booster Club hosted performer Danny Quadrino for an audition workshop that helped students improve their musical talents. Pianist Jesse Cohen-Greenberg accompanied Quadrino.

The Troupe Booster Club sponsored the event with partial funding provided by the Ballston Spa Partnership for Innovation in Education Fund. For additional information on the fund, visit www.bscsd.org/CRPS.

SCHUYLERVILLE — Three-sport student-athlete Anika Buff has been named the 2023 School Winner for the Heisman High School Scholarship, the Schuylerville Central School District announced in December. The award recognizes “outstanding scholar-athletes who exhibit leadership qualities in their school and community.”

Buff, a senior, played soccer, basketball, and lacrosse all four years of her high school career. She was captain of the soccer team during her senior year, and was also treasurer of the Varsity Club. 

“I’d like to thank my coaches, my family, and my teammates,” Buff said. “Their support has helped me to keep working to get better and help the team as a whole.”

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Empire State University’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) program has been ranked first in the Capital Region for the third straight year by the Albany Business Review.

The school offers MBAs in business management and health care leadership. More than 400 students enrolled in the Fall 2023 MBA program.

MALTA — The Ballston Spa Central School District received $16,000 in grant awards from the GLOBALFOUNDRIES-Town of Malta Foundation. The bulk of the funds ($10,000 to be exact) will support the Robotics Team and Competitions. $5,000 will be devoted to Senior Class activities and the annual After Prom event. The final $1,000 will help fund a digital safety program for students and parents.

“We are thrilled to receive the support of the GLOBALFOUNDRIES-Town of Malta Foundation to enhance our programs throughout the district,” said Superintendent Dr. Gianleo Duca in a statement. “We appreciate their ongoing investment in providing the best learning experiences and opportunities for students.”

The GLOBALFOUNDRIES -Town of Malta Foundation funds organizations, programs, and projects that benefit Malta residents. For more information, visit sites.google.com/site/gfmaltafoundationorg/home.

SARATOGA SPRINGS —The Saratoga Springs and Ballston Spa school districts are both plagued by bus driver shortages that may threaten to eliminate some bus routes.

At a Board of Education meeting last month, Saratoga Springs City School District Director of Transportation Jerry Keenan delivered an annual report that stressed the urgent need for new hires.

“We were scheduled to have 76 permanent drivers approved in our budget this year,” Keenan told the board. “Unfortunately, we’ve lost more drivers than we’ve hired since school has started.” Keenan said that the district will have twelve openings for permanent positions this month.

Keenan said that he and Assistant Director of Transportation Kim Ross both drive buses themselves to help make up for the lack of drivers. “We work very hard to ensure every day that we are getting our kids to school,” he said.

Ross said that the transportation department hired five new employees but all of them left their positions for various reasons. “We bring them in and they go out, but we do try,” she said.

The Ballston Spa Central School District also needs more transportation workers. “Unfortunately, the Ballston Spa Central School District continues to eliminate certain bus routes as we are confronted with a need for additional staff members,” the district said on its website. “Bus drivers, substitute bus drivers, and bus attendants are all needed to ensure the district can transport all students on the district’s bus routes each morning and afternoon.”

Bus driver shortages are not unique to the region. Data from the Economic Policy Institute indicates that from September 2019 to September 2023, there was a 15.1% decrease in the total number of K-12 bus drivers nationwide. Private school bus driver employment also declined by 21.5% over the same four-year period.

Those interested in an open transportation position at the Ballston Spa Central School District can call the department at 518-884-7140 or visit www.bscsd.org/Page/279. 

For information on openings at the Saratoga Springs City School District, visit saratogaschools.org/departments-services/employment/.

BALLSTON SPA — Passer la nuit à danser! That’s a rough French translation for “dance the night away,” which is what more than 150 high school students did at the Ballston Spa world language lip sync concert earlier this month.

Performances included the Barbie movie’s hit anthem “Dance the Night” by Dua Lipa (in French), “Cruising for a Bruisin” from “Teen Beach Movie” (in Spanish), and Queen’s iconic song “Bohemian Rhapsody” (also in Spanish). Barbie finished in first place. One can only speculate that the Kenergy must’ve been surging.

The event was hosted by the Ballston High School International Club. All donations from the concert will help fund scholarships for graduating seniors.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — A new student-designed lunch truck will make its debut this spring on the Saratoga Springs High School campus.

Eric Bush, the district’s School Lunch Program Director, said the truck was designed by students from the high school’s graphic arts class. “They worked on all the signage, all the graphics, the look, the name; everything came from the high school students designing it,” Bush said.

High School seniors are allowed to leave the campus for lunch, and the goal of the food truck, Bush said, is to entice them to stick around for what Bush called “a different, unique experience.”

A promotional image from the district described the truck as “a novel dining experience that will expand meal options for students and staff.” The image also stated that the truck will embody “a fusion of culinary diversity.”

In terms of cost to students, the truck will essentially operate the same as the existing cafeteria. Free meal packages will be available at the truck, along with a la carte items that can be purchased for an additional fee. Proceeds from those purchases will go back into the school’s cafeteria fund.

“The more kids that participate, then the more money I can put back into the program,” Bush said.

Despite claims to the contrary found on a local Facebook page, Bush said that no “COVID money” was used to purchase the truck. According to Bush, the vehicle was bought using money from the school’s self-sufficient cafeteria fund, which is separate from the school’s general fund. “I did see that [Facebook post], which I thought was pretty funny,” Bush said.

The high school’s cafeteria is currently undergoing renovations, but is set to re-open in mid January. Then, Bush will turn his attention to getting the lunch truck up and running. “We’ve been working on it for a couple months,” Bush said, “doing the [request for proposal], going out to bid, then getting it delivered, and now it will have to go to Glens Falls for the health inspection.”

The school will create menus for the truck in the coming months. Bush estimated that the truck will be operational by April.